Supabase Realtime Subscription Not Updating in Real-Time
Your Supabase realtime subscription doesn't receive updates. Data changes in the database aren't reflected in real-time on connected clients. Subscription listeners don't fire when expected.
Realtime subscriptions fail when realtimeUrl isn't configured, subscriptions aren't properly cleaned up, or database changes bypass triggers (e.g., direct SQL without replication).
Error Messages You Might See
Common Causes
- Replication not enabled for table in Supabase dashboard
- Subscription not properly set up or connected before data changes occur
- Cleanup (unsubscribe) happening too early or not at all, causing memory leaks
- Database changes made with direct SQL, bypassing replication triggers
- Realtime configuration not loading or URL incorrect
How to Fix It
Enable replication: In Supabase dashboard, go to Replication > select table > enable replication. Realtime only works for replicated tables.
Proper subscription: Use on().subscribe() and clean up in useEffect cleanup:const sub = supabase.on('postgres_changes', {...}).subscribe()
return () => sub.unsubscribe()
Verify auth: User must be authenticated or have anon access to table RLS policies for realtime to work.
Test connection: Check Supabase project Status page for realtime service health. Check browser DevTools for WebSocket connection.
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Get HelpFrequently Asked Questions
Why isn't replication enabled by default?
For performance. Enable only tables you need realtime for. Unnecessary replication wastes resources.
Should I unsubscribe from realtime?
Yes, always. In React cleanup: return () => subscription.unsubscribe(). Prevents memory leaks and WebSocket zombies.
How do I debug realtime issues?
Check 1) Replication enabled for table 2) User authenticated 3) Table has RLS policy allowing access 4) Changes made with database insert/update, not direct SQL.